The present invention relates to a sliding panel, especially to a sliding panel that uses a single channel on a rail for accommodation of a plurality of carrier tracks simultaneously sliding in parallel.
A sliding panel is one kind of screen and is composed of a rail, a plurality of carrier tracks mounted under the rail, and a plurality of panels attached to the carrier track. Two separating connectors are arranged on the top surface of each carrier track while a runner such as a caster is connected on top of the connector. By inserting the connector upwards through a channel opening on bottom of the rail, the runner slides inside the channel of the rail. Thus each of the carrier tracks and panels thereof slides transversely so as to make the panels extend or retract, overlapping with one another. There is a small overlapping area between the two adjacent panels after being extended so that the multiple panels form a continuous surface to achieve better shielding effect. Moreover, most of conventional sliding panels include one rail with a plurality of channels while each of the channels is disposed with a corresponding carrier track. The number of channels mounted on the rail depends on the width of the sliding panel. For example, there may be three, four, five or six channels on the rail of the sliding panel and each channel has a corresponding opening for insertion of the connector of the carrier track.
In marketing of fixed-size curtains, if the construction of the products allows users to adjust their size, the sales volume will increase. In traditional sliding panels, one rail is disposed with a plurality of channels. Once the rail is designed into an extendable rail consisting of an inner rail and an outer rail, it is difficult to form the extrusion of the rails precisely, so that the rails can't be telescoped smoothly. Furthermore, because of the bulky sizes of the rails, they need more material and cost more money. By using a one rail one channel construction, it is easier to form the extrusion of the inner and outer rails precisely, so that the rails can be telescoped smoothly. But another problem is encountered, since a sliding panel with 3 to 6 rails needs a lot of material and cost a lot of money. Furthermore, it is difficult to combine 3 to 6 rails and install them together.